diff --git a/salt/modules/file.py b/salt/modules/file.py
index 7ddf29576d..38fa9df01d 100644
--- a/salt/modules/file.py
+++ b/salt/modules/file.py
@@ -3368,6 +3368,10 @@ def stats(path, hash_type=None, follow_symlinks=True):
             pstat = os.lstat(path)
         except OSError:
             # Not a broken symlink, just a nonexistent path
+            # NOTE: The file.directory state checks the content of the error
+            # message in this exception. Any changes made to the message for this
+            # exception will reflect the file.directory state as well, and will
+            # likely require changes there.
             raise CommandExecutionError('Path not found: {0}'.format(path))
     else:
         if follow_symlinks:
@@ -4193,12 +4197,6 @@ def check_perms(name, ret, user, group, mode, follow_symlinks=False):
     # Check permissions
     perms = {}
     cur = stats(name, follow_symlinks=follow_symlinks)
-    if not cur:
-        # NOTE: The file.directory state checks the content of the error
-        # message in this exception. Any changes made to the message for this
-        # exception will reflect the file.directory state as well, and will
-        # likely require changes there.
-        raise CommandExecutionError('{0} does not exist'.format(name))
     perms['luser'] = cur['user']
     perms['lgroup'] = cur['group']
     perms['lmode'] = salt.utils.normalize_mode(cur['mode'])
diff --git a/salt/states/file.py b/salt/states/file.py
index 82cbafbc9a..51df70d1e4 100644
--- a/salt/states/file.py
+++ b/salt/states/file.py
@@ -2988,7 +2988,7 @@ def directory(name,
                             ret, _ = __salt__['file.check_perms'](
                                 full, ret, user, group, dir_mode, follow_symlinks)
                     except CommandExecutionError as exc:
-                        if not exc.strerror.endswith('does not exist'):
+                        if not exc.strerror.startswith('Path not found'):
                             errors.append(exc.strerror)
 
     if clean: